1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fuel injection apparatus which injects and supplies a fuel having a pressure increased by a fuel pump into an engine via a fuel injection valve, and particularly to a mounting apparatus of a fuel injection valve by which the fuel injection valve is detachably mounted to a fuel distributing pipe.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A mounting apparatus of a fuel injection valve in accordance with a conventional art is shown in Japanese Utility Model No. 2535132.
In accordance with the document, a holder having an engaging groove formed on an outer periphery is integrally provided on a fuel distributing pipe, and a first engaging portion pressure-inserted and fitted to the outer periphery of the holder in an elastic manner and engaging with the engaging groove, a second engaging portion engaging with the fuel distributing pipe so as to determine a position of a positioning member itself around an axis, and a third engaging portion engaging with both side surfaces of a coupler so as to determine a position of the fuel injection valve around an axis are integrally formed in the positioning member as a formed product.
The mounting apparatus of the fuel injection valve in accordance with the conventional art has the following disadvantages.
(1) Since a fuel introducing portion of the fuel injection valve is only inserted and arranged within the holder integrally formed on the fuel distributing pipe, the fuel injection valve can be pulled out from the holder in an inserting direction of the fuel injection valve even after the fuel injection valve is positioned by the positioning member.
This is because the positioning member is structured such as to prevent the fuel injection valve from rotating around the axis and does not have a function of preventing the fuel injection valve from moving in an axial direction (a longitudinal direction).
In accordance with the description mentioned above, there is a risk that the fuel injection valve falls off from the fuel distribution pipe at a time of production where the fuel injection valve previously mounted on the fuel distributing pipe in a sub-assembly state is assembled to a suction pipe flowing on an assembly line, so that an effective production can not be achieved.
(2) Since a cylindrical holder is integrally provided in the fuel distributing pipe, it is necessary to prepare the holder independently and it is necessary to adhere the holder to the fuel distributing pipe by means of an adhering means. Accordingly, the number of parts and assembly proceses are increased, and this is not preferable.
(3) The positioning member is fixed to the fuel distributing pipe only by engaging the first engaging portion with the engaging groove of the holder.
That is, the second engaging portion corresponds to means for restricting a rotation of the positioning member, and the third engaging portion corresponds to means for restricting a rotation of the fuel injection valve.
In accordance with the description mentioned above, it is desirable to more securely engage the positioning member with the fuel distributing pipe.
The present invention is made by taking the disadvantages mentioned above into consideration, and a first aspect of the present invention is to provide a mounting apparatus of a fuel injection valve by which a fuel injection valve can be securely mounted to a fuel distributing pipe with a significantly simple engaging member so as to improve a performance of mounting to a suction pipe and increase a production efficiency.
In order to achieve the object mentioned above, in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mounting apparatus of a fuel injection valve for a fuel introducing cylinder portion of the fuel injection valve being detachably mounted to the fuel distributing pipe, wherein the fuel distributing pipe comprises:
a fuel passage pierced along a longitudinal direction Xxe2x80x94X;
a fuel introduction cylinder portion guide hole communicated with the fuel passage and open to a lower end surface, in a cross section Yxe2x80x94Y perpendicular to the longitudinal direction;
a first engaging groove recessed along a longitudinal direction on one of opposing both side surfaces; and
a second engaging groove recessed along a longitudinal direction on another side surface,
the fuel injection valve comprises:
a fuel introducing cylinder portion formed from a rear end surface of an engaging flange portion toward a rear end;
an injection cylinder portion formed from a front end surface of the engaging flange portion toward a front end via a connecting cylinder portion provided with a connector portion; and
opposing flat wall portions opposing to each other in the connecting cylinder portion extending from the front end surface of the engaging flange portion and having a width B smaller than a diameter A of the engaging flange portion,
the engaging member made of an elastic material comprises:
a fork portion to be inserted and arranged in the opposing flat wall portions of the fuel injection valve;
a first engaging protrusion formed in an upper end portion of a first bending piece extending from a base portion of the fork portion toward an upper portion so as to be fitted and arranged in the first engaging groove; and
second engaging protrusions formed in respective upper end portions of a third bending piece and a fourth bending piece respectively extending from end portions of a first arm portion and a second arm portion in the fork portion toward upper portions so as to be fitted and arranged in the second engaging groove, and
in a state of the fuel introduction cylinder portion of the fuel injection valve being inserted into the fuel introduction cylinder portion guide hole of the fuel distributing pipe and the rear end surface of the engaging flange portion being brought into contact with the lower end surface of the fuel distributing pipe, the first engaging protrusion of the engaging member is arranged in such a manner as to be engaged with the first engaging groove of the fuel distributing pipe, the fork portion is arranged in such a manner as to be inserted between the opposing flat wall portions of the fuel injection valve, the second engaging protrusion is arranged in such a manner as to be fitted to the second engaging groove of the fuel distributing pipe, and the engaging flange portion of the fuel injection valve is gripped by the lower end surface of the fuel distributing pipe and the fork portion of the engaging member.
Further, in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mounting apparatus of a fuel injection valve as recited in the first aspect, wherein U-shaped bending portions open to a lower portion from the respective upper ends of the third bending piece and the fourth bending piece are integrally formed, and a lead wire of a female type connector portion connected to a connector portion of the fuel injection valve is supported by the U-shaped bending portions.